The construction of the Croton Water Treatment Plant is yet another example of a City project that has been subject to delays and ballooning costs.

My office recently conducted two audits of The New York City Department of Environmental Protection’s management of the project. One looked at the pace of construction, while the other examined the agency’s controls over costs. What was uncovered was an embarrassment.

In 2003, the DEP told the public that the estimated cost of the Plant was roughly $992 million dollars. Now, it’s expected that construction costs will exceed $2 billion. That is more than double the original estimate. And all of this involves your money – taxpayer dollars.

The DEP has hung the taxpayers out to dry on this one.

We cannot tolerate the games the City is playing with our taxpayer dollars. It is time to end the mismanagement surrounding the Croton Water Treatment Project. My office issued a total of 16 recommendations to ensure that the Plant is completed in a reasonable time frame and at a reasonable cost. These measures are necessary to protect the health of the people of New York, your hard earned dollars and the financial health of our City.